


[Insert Cheesy/Barely Creative Title Here] (AKA I have no idea)

by orphan_account



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Soul Bond AU, always fluff, lots of fluff though, maybe a little bit of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-25
Updated: 2015-11-25
Packaged: 2018-02-26 23:38:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2670662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Soul Bonds were a rare thing. Some people didn't even think they really existed. Dan was one of those people- Come on, two people suddenly having an emotional connection that was a little bit more than natural? Please. Phil had always thought the idea was something really cool, something that he wished would happen to him. Dan's world gets flipped upside down and sideways when he runs into Phil, and Phil finds out that it isn't all sunshine and rainbows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Lost Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Dan or Phil. Unfortunately.

As far as Dan was concerned, the whole "Soul Bond" thing was pretty far fetched. It just didn't make sense as to why two people who had never talked before suddenly feel a deep notion of caring and concern for a complete stranger.

Yeah, there was no way that those things really existed.

He propped his feet up on the counter, which he wouldn't have done if his manager was there but she wasn't, and leaned back slightly in the chair. He worked in an old antiques shop that hardly saw any customers, and when it did they usually didn't buy anything.

Most days it was boring. He pulled out his phone and started mindlessly playing a game when the silver bell above the door chimed, announcing the arrival of a potential buyer.

He took his feet off the counter and put his phone away, trying to see who had come in. He was only mildly surprised when he saw it wasn't an old lady, but someone just a little bit older than him. Going by looks.

He looked a bit lost as he wandered the shop and nearly knocked over one or two things on the way. His haircut mirrored Dan's, which he found kind of cool but weird at the same time, but it was black and not brown.

He looked tall too, around his height. He nearly hit a low-hanging chandelier with his head but moved at the last second. At least it was entertaining to watch him fumble about the store.

When the stranger was a few feet in front of the register he picked up a small porcelain cat and studied it, turning it around in his hands.

"Can I help you?" Dan asked. The customer jumped slightly and nearly dropped the cat, placing it back on the self after a near save.

"Oh, uh. Actually you can. I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking and then I somehow ended up on this street." The stranger frowned and seemed to think for a minute before smiling again.

"Can you give me directions to, um, a main street? I can find my way from there."

Dan repressed a sigh and raised his eyes ever so slightly. Of course, it just so happened to be slightly enough where he met the stranger's eyes.

The first thing he noticed was the color. They were blue mainly, yeah, but they had green and yellow mixed in too, making quite a pretty end result. Dan swallowed, suddenly feeling something shift. He wasn't sure what it was, but something had changed.

He felt himself hold his breath, though he really didn't know why, and he could see the stranger do the same thing.

There was some amount of time, Dan didn't know how much, that he just kind of stared into the stranger's eyes and the stranger stared back. It was kind of weird, to be completely honest, but kind of... special too.

Dan needed to stop watching so many cheesy movies.

"Uh, you wanted directions, right?" The moment was over as suddenly as it had began, and Dan cleared his throat. He felt a little winded from that.

"Er, directions right." The stranger nodded and stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking at Dan with more intensity than was needed.

"You know what? It's kind of a maze so it'd probably be better if I showed you the way. Otherwise you might get lost again."

The stranger agreed and Dan stood up, not entirely sure why he was volunteering himself to show the stranger the way out. It was pretty easy to get lost, on the other hand. He was just making sure the stranger didn't somehow end up back in the shop. Yep, that was it.

They walked out of the store together, falling into step with each other. Just something that your body naturally did, that was all.

The walk was silent, and when the stranger thanked him and turned to leave he got a sinking feeling in his chest. He didn't want the stranger to leave. He wanted to spend more time with him. There was no reason he should have felt that way, but Dan heard himself call out and ask the stranger's name.

"Phil Lester." The smile that followed nearly blinded Dan's eyes. "What's yours?"

"Dan Howell." Dan felt himself smile back and lifted his hand to wave. Phil waved back, and was gone.

Dan ignored the sense of something missing, a small ache in his chest. It would go away in no time. Hopefully.


	2. Chapter 2: A Half to a Whole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After meeting Dan Howell in that antique shop, Phil can't stop thinking about him. He knows it's silly, but he just can't bring himself to stop acting like a schoolboy in love. And maybe... just maybe he had found a Soul Bond. He could only hope so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the slow chapter update. I was very busy and I recently got sick so my brain was a puddle of mush and that's not always the best for writing.
> 
> Thank you very very much for the kudos and comments so far! I'm pleased to see that it's off to such a good start. I hope I can keep it that way.

Phil lay on his bed, scrolling through tumblr without really paying attention. His mind was focused somewhere else. On someone else.

Dan Howell.

He had only seen and talked to him for a few minutes, if that, but his mind kept flashing back to those few minutes. He had felt so... happy in those few minutes. He had genuinely enjoyed his time with Dan Howell, and ever since they parted ways he had felt like something was missing.

He remembered the first time their eyes met. Phil swore he could see literal sparks. Dan's eyes were such a beautiful color of brown too, and warm, like hot chocolate on a cold day all snuggled up in your blanket on the sofa.

Phil gave up on tumblr and shut his laptop, unable to really focus on it anyway. He shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts of the beautiful brown haired boy, and made his way to the kitchen to find something to munch on.

He needed to find something to distract him. It probably wasn't healthy, thinking about someone so often. It was almost like he was obsessed. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get Dan out of his mind.

Phil had always believed in Soul Bonds. It was something he found fascinating and almost magical. To know that you belong with that person, and that one person only, and there was never any doubt, well... Phil had always longed for something like that. Someone he could share every detail of his life with, someone he could spend the rest of his life with and know that nothing could ever tear them apart.

Logically the two of them had to fit together, right? Otherwise the Soul Bond wouldn't make sense. Everyone who had experienced one had said that they fit together like two halves to a whole. There had to be love involved as well. You couldn't be that close to someone and not love them, at least just a little bit.

He had been trying to ignore the slight pain in his chest, where his heart was, but that was going about as well as trying not to think about Dan. In other words, he was failing miserably. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He needed to find a way to distract himself. A walk would probably help, he decided, and grabbed his coat.

He let himself wander, as he often did when he was troubled with something. Sometimes he saw new things and they were usually pretty exciting. Sometimes they were not so good. Phil remembered one time he almost walked into a seedy looking bar. He shivered at the memory, glad he had come to his senses right before he walked in.

He picked up a coffee a few minutes into his walk. The warmth it provided against the cold wind was welcomed, since Phil had forgotten to grab his coat even though it was nearly freezing. He stuffed his free hand in his pocket and took a look around, not really recognizing the area he was in.

Something about the area seemed vaguely familiar, though he couldn't place it. He shrugged, took another sip of his coffee and continued his walk. It really was helping to clear his head. Not a bad idea, he thought to himself.

At least it was working until he thought he heard Dan's voice. He paused and listened, shaking his head when he heard nothing. _I'm going crazy. I think I might need to see a doctor._ Phil thought with a hint of amusement. Something kept him standing there, just for half a second later, though he really was beginning to think he was going crazy.

"I'm so late. My manager is going to kill me. Shit." Phil raised his eyebrows, recognizing the voice for sure. Not that he had spent hours memorizing the sweet tone. Not that it was sweet this time around. Sure enough, a few seconds later, Dan Howell turned from around the corner, looking quite distressed.

Phil raised an eyebrow and Dan screeched to a halt when he caught sight of Phil standing a few feet away. His mouth opened slightly and Phil felt himself grin, like an automatic reaction to seeing him, and the ache in his chest dulled.

"Phil?" Dan asked, sounding a little more than confused and slightly lost.

Phil swallowed and nodded, noticing that when he had seen Dan yesterday his hair had been straight. It was curly then, and that just seemed to make Dan even more attractive. Dan remained where he was, staring at Phil with a look that was slowly turning into disbelief.

"Hello again." Phil said, and that seemed to snap Dan out of his daze. He started forward again, shaking his head.

"Hello." Dan said softly, then made a motion for Phil to follow him. Phil fell into step with him, unable to wipe the small smile off his face.

"So where are you headed?" Phil asked as they walked at a brisk pace. The cold didn't seem quite so cold anymore.

"I'm late for work. Where were you headed?"

"I wasn't really headed anywhere in particular. I was just wandering."

Dan narrowed his eyes. "That's really dangerous, you know? You could get hurt. Where's your jacket?"

Phil rolled his eyes. "I accidentally left it at home, _mum_." The corner of Dan's mouth turned up.

"You could catch a cold like that." Phil was about to retort with something when he realized that they had already arrived at the antiques shop Dan worked at, and Dan's hand was rested on the knob. He frowned, regretting that their time was already up. Time flew by faster when he was with Dan.

"Do you want to get coffee?" Phil hoped he didn't sound too eager. Dan eyed the cup in his hand and raised a brow, but a smile tugged at his lips nonetheless.

"You have a cup in your hands." Phil opened his mouth, feeling his ears burning, but Dan stopped him from saying anything. "I do have Sundays off though. We could go for a cup then?"

"Yeah. Yeah sure. That would be cool." Phil tried not to bounce with excitement. He was acting like a lovesick teenager, but he really couldn't care less.

"Yeah? Okay then. I'll see you Sunday. What's your number?" Phil told him his number, and Dan told Phil his. They parted ways with a smile, Dan entering the shop. Just before the door closed, Dan stopped it and tossed Phil his jacket. It was only by luck he caught it.

"Laurel, my manager, keeps the shop way too warm all the time. Besides, I wouldn't want you to catch a cold now, would I?" Dan smiled, showing off his dimples, and shut the door. Phil stood there for a second, feeling like he was going to melt, and shrugged on the jacket. It smelt like herbs and spices, and something that was just Dan.

Sunday was going to be a long time to wait.


	3. Fixing Fringes and Deep Breaths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan is more anxious about the whole coffee ordeal, which was in no circumstances a date, than he should be. Not only that, but he's slowly realizing that Phil Lester, a mere stranger, makes him feel improbable and impossible emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that I'm going to be switching between Dan and Phil's POV every other chapter. Just a heads up for that.

Dan stared at himself in the mirror, trying to control his breathing. Why had he even agreed to go get coffee with Phil? He barely knew him. They were strangers. The only thing he knew about him was that his name was Phil Lester and he took wandering walks.

And by no means was this a date, Dan told himself. He was simply going to get coffee and then they could maybe be friends. After all, what if he ended up hating Phil?

Something deep within him knew that wasn't going to happen, and Dan wasn't sure how he felt about that concrete feeling. There was just something about Phil that was alluring and drew him closer. Maybe it was the way his smile made Dan return the grin and his heart flutter. It could have been the way he seemed to be a genuine person, who were hard to find in the world. Something about Phil just pulled him in, and he was willingly going with it.

Dan immediately put mental barriers on his thoughts, stopping them before they could do too much damage. He took a deep breath, reminded himself that Phil was a stranger that he knew nothing about, and they were just going to get a cup of coffee together.

He fixed his fringe for the millionth time in the last few minutes and checked his phone for the billionth time in the past few minutes. He may or may not have been anxiously waiting for Phil to text about his whereabouts. They had agreed to meet at Dan's apartment (Which he had spent the last two days making sure was meticulously clean) at one and leave from there. 

He didn't know why it was his apartment they had decided to meet at. It wasn't anything fancy. It was actually pretty small, but it was cozier that way and comfortable.

Dan fixed his fringe and checked his phone just in time to get a text from Phil announcing that he was walking up to the apartment building. Dan checked himself in the mirror again, fixed his fringe, and took heavy steps to the living room.

He was dreading seeing Phil again, yet elated at the same time. His emotions were running loose, choosing to bounce all over the place and generally make a muddled mess of him. He knew he was afraid to feel that irresistible magnetic pull, that _want_ to be with Phil at all times.

The buzzer rang and Dan felt his anxiety levels spike as he allowed Phil in. The few minutes it took Phil to get up to his floor and knock on the door felt like hours as Dan stared at the knob.

The knock on the door was quick. Dan felt as if he were moving in slow motion as he reached out and opened the door, twisting the knob and pulling it open inch by inch.

Phil stood in the doorway, his shoulders hunched slightly. He was looking at the ground, but as soon as Dan had the door fully open Phil looked up, giving that smile that made Dan feel weird things. Neither of them talked for a minute, as Dan was trying to resist the urge to stand and close to Phil as possible, and Phil was not sure how to start the conversation.

"Hi." Dan finally got out, finally raising his eyes to meet Phil's. It was just like the first time. A weird pulling feeling, a strong desire to be with the other person, and Dan once again found himself breathless.

"Hi." Phil whispered, sounding as equally breathless as Dan. They stood there for a moment, Dan's thoughts completely scattered. His brain moved quickly, formulating theories, but unable to actually come up with a clear reason.

"So coffee?" Dan asked, finding it hard to break the eye contact and look somewhere else. He opted for the ground.

"Yes! Oh, I almost forgot! I brought you your jacket back. I figured you might want that back." Phil held out Dan's jacket, which he took gratefully. Unsure of what to do next, Dan invited Phil in.

Phil stepped inside the doorway and Dan resisted the urge to fix his fringe and he showed Phil around his apartment, ending in the living room. Phil looked around and smiled, and Dan did his best to not smile but was unable to resist. Phil had a contagious smile like that.

"Let me just put this jacket up and we can go." Dan motioned to his bedroom door, using it slightly as an excuse to make some distance between himself and Phil.

"Sure." Phil nodded and Dan went to go hang up his jacket, feeling the need to be back in the same room as Phil. His chest had already started aching, which Dan did not think was a good sign.

He felt like he had been doing a whole lot of deep breaths in two days, though he had needed it. He collected himself and braced for those improbable and impossible feelings that happened every time he caught so much as an atom of Phil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I feel like this chapter was a filler chapter, but next chapter will definitely make up for it as that's when the real stuff starts.
> 
> I'm thinking about doing weekly updates (Maybe even twice weekly) so stay tuned for more scheduled updates in the near future!


	4. Say What?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil go out for their coffee and things get a little bit... different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh weekly updates. That seems to have been put on hold a little bit (or a lot a bit) and for that I sincerely apologize. Hopefully you're still up to reading, yeah?

Phil used all of his strength to not embrace Dan in the biggest hug he had ever given someone and then hold his hand as they skipped off to the coffee shop. All of his strength couldn't keep the grin off his face, however, and he realized he probably looked a bit creepy with the huge smile on his face.

He couldn't help feeling so giddy, and he felt _whole_ again, which he hadn't felt in the two days he had been away from Dan. It was weird, how attached he was to Dan, when all he knew was his name. Well, technically he knew where he lived as well, though Dan didn't know where he lived. It made him feel a bit creepy, if he were being honest. He would have to correct that as soon as he could by inviting Dan over to his place.

He shook his head ever so slightly, realizing that he was already planning on inviting the other man over to his house. They didn't even really know each other yet, and here he was, thinking of a way to invite Dan over to his house. He didn't let it bother him, and he was grinning the entire way to the coffee shop, unable to contain it.

The walk there had been silent, but not one of those awkward silences. The kind that is comfortable, the kind where you can just sit there without talking and feel completely at ease, like there was no need for words and your thoughts were in tune. Aware he was starting to sound even more like a lovesick teenager, he decided to initiate conversation.

"So, Dan." He began, but then faltered. How did he begin? Dan raised an eyebrow and looked at him expectantly, waiting for whatever it was Phil was going to ask him. The only problem was finding out what he was gong to ask him. Phil tried again.

"What do you like to do? Like, hobbies or things like that." Very elegant Phil, good job. He congratulated himself and watched Dan think, his brow creasing as his eyebrows got closer to the center of his nose. It was kind of cute, actually.

"I like to play video games I suppose. I dunno. I like watching movies, and I like to read. That's about it really. I don't do much."

Phil smiled. It was okay that Dan didn't do much. Besides, from what he'd said they liked to do the same things. They had things in common. Phil latched onto that, finding the common ground.

"Really? Me too. What kind of games?" The conversation wasn't anything special, not really, but it meant a lot to Phil. He was talking with Dan, and the more they talked the more he realized he liked him. A whole lot. A whole, big lot.

They continued talking, sitting on opposite sides of the booth. Unaware to both of them they leaned forward on the table, getting closer to each other minute by minute. It wasn't long before Phil realized he was close enough to Dan that if he got just a little bit closer, he could kiss those soft lips. Dan seemed aware of it too, and a light was in his eyes, daring Phil to do it. He almost did, until the waiter came by and slid their drinks on the table, wrenching their attention away from each other.

"You know, I've never really seen one in action, but I've heard about them. Now that I have, I've got to say I'm a bit jealous. You two are lucky."

Their waiter smiled at them, genuinely amused or pleased. Phil looked at him, confused, and turned to Dan for help. Dan, however, did not seem to be taking to comment well. Phil could see the gears turning in his brain, his face slowly becoming more and more scared. Very concerned, he turned back to the waiter for an explanation.

"What are you talking about?" Phil asked, pretty sure his tone betrayed his mass confusion. Because he was confused. Very confused.

"Oh it's okay. You don't have to hide it from me. I know a lot of people don't believe in them or support them, but I'm perfectly okay with it. I'm talking about your Soul Bond, of course. It's so obvious that your worlds revolve around each other. It's beautiful, really. At least I think so."

Phil felt his head start to spin as the reality of what the waiter was talking about crashed down on him, and things started making a lot more sense. What he had just though was something stupid, like maybe some bad sushi or something, was much more important. The pangs in his chest- that was from being apart from Dan. His heart had physically hurt to be away from Dan. And there was also that thing where he felt complete with the other man. Everything snapped into perspective like it was under a microscope that had just been correctly focused for the first time.

Phil was pretty sure he was having an anxiety attack, but he also realized that he was incredibly happy. He breathed in deeply once, twice, and then one more time just for good measure. Their waiter was no longer looking pleased, but rather worried. Phil flicked his eyes to Dan, who was staring down at the table, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. He looked like he was about to throw up. He was muttering something to himself, his shoulders lifting and lowering rythmically. Concerned, Phil reached out to put a hand on Dan's shoulder to comfort him, but as soon as His hand touched Dan's shoulder Dan's head snapped up, and Phil could see the panic in his eyes.

"I have to go." Dan blurted, standing up quickly. He practically ran out of the coffee shop, the door swinging closed behind him. Phil stood up, determined to follow him and sort this out. At least he hoped they could sort it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was done on my IPod so please forgive mistakes. I'll go back and fix them as soon as I have access to a computer.


	5. I Didn't Get Stabbed in the Alley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan's panicking, and he knows it. This can't be real, none if it can. So why is it happening to him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I might have felt a little bad for not updating this story in who know how long, so I bring to you two chapters in one day! Whooo! Dear readers I am so sorry for taking so long to post. I literally have no excuse. No excuse. I'm just a horrible procrastinator. There we go. The truth is out.

Dan felt his heart beating so rapidly, he could swear it would going to burst right out of his chest and leave him dead on the middle of the sidewalk. His head was spinning, and his stomach was performing some very creative acrobatics that the rest of him did not appreciate. He had managed to leave the coffee shop without passing out, but Dan doubted he would make it much further. He didn't even really know where he was. He had just started running as soon as he was out of that stupid shop and ended up somewhere in an alley. Fan-fucking-tastic. Instead of having a heart attack, he was going to get stabbed in an alley way and bleed to death. It was probably less painful than what he was currently going through.

His mind whirred, still coming to terms with what the waiter had said. _"I'm talking about your Soul Bond, of course."_ Those words kept circling his head, as if mocking him. How could have not realized it sooner? He'd read about it in the news, about the symptoms people experienced whenever they first went through the whole ordeal. The aches in their chest, the way they felt they were missing something until they were together, it was everything that he had experienced, just like the textbook said. Dan never did like textbooks. He didn't even believe in that kind of crap. It just didn't make sense. He couldn't deny that he did feel pulled to Phil, but that was just because the man had a natural, kind, charismatic aura around him. That was all. There were no such things as "Soul Bonds" and Dan certainly did not have one, even if they did exist.

Having allowed himself the denial, he allowed himself to calm down just a little bit, though he was still in some alley way and was still in danger of being stabbed to death. He straightened up, pulling himself off the wall, running his hands over his face. He had overreacted. Not to mention he had probably fucked up any chance he ever had with Phil. Phil had probably thought him crazy after his escape in the coffee shop. The thought upset him slightly, though he ignored that feeling and tried to find his way out of the maze he had gotten himself into. He finally understood how Phil had gotten lost and wandered into the antiques shop.

He had not gone far when he saw the regular street. Relieved, he made a beeline for it, now embarrassed about his behaviour earlier. He had to find Phil and apologize for his actions. Apparently, Phil had decided to come find him, as the man nearly ran into him as soon as Dan got onto the main streets. Perhaps nearly wasn't the right word. Dan was knocked sideways and saw the ground starting to approach his face rapidly, but the black haired man grabbed him just before it would have been too late and pulled him up, though not without a surprised yelp. He suddenly found his chest pressed against Phil's, the man's arms wrapped around him. A bit disoriented at how quickly that had happened, he stared at the blue shirt in front of him, his brain still caught on the fact he had just been falling. Phil's arms were warm, and very comforting. He smelled amazing too. Kind of like raspberries. His brain supplied him with the unnecessary information before it became fully aware of his predicament.

Without thinking further about it, Dan pushed himself away from Phil, breaking the blue-eyed man's hold. He took a few steps backs, his earlier panic returning to him. Phil frowned, obviously concerned with Dan. His mouth was moving, probably speaking words, but Dan's couldn't focus on them. The world was quickly losing focus as the anxiety settled into him again. It wasn't until Phil gently took him in another hug that he realized he was shaking badly, his breathing out of control.

"Shhh. Shhh, it's okay Dan. I've got you. I've got you." Dan felt himself relax, almost against his will, and he pressed his face into Phil's shoulder, despite being the slightly taller of the two.

"That's the problem." Dan heard himself mumble, and Phil released him, searching for his eyes. Dan begrudgingly met them, afraid of what he would find. Annoyance, perhaps? Anger, even? No, he just found concern, which kind of pissed Dan off. Why wasn't the other man having a heart attack like he was? Phil should be having breathing problems too. There was no way he could be calm about all of it. Unless, his brain rationalized, Phil remembered that none of that Soul Bond stuff was real and he was just waiting for Dan to remember that too. Safely in denial again, Dan relaxed.

"I'm sorry. I just forgot that the whole Soul Bond thing is made up by some people making up excuses as to why they got married on the spot. I'm better now though. I mean, I didn't get stabbed in the alley and I'm still alive, so I'm good." Dan offered a reassuring smile, though Phil's frown deepened.

"Wait, you don't believe in them? Soul Bonds, I mean. You don't think they're real?"

"Of course not. It's a bunch of bullshit made up by people who want to justify their actions, like getting married a day after they met or some crap like that."

"I don't think so. I think it's wonderful, to know that you belong to someone like that without a shadow of a doubt. That your souls complete each others'."

"It sounds like something in a bad fanfiction." Dan snorted, crossing his arms. If Phil believed in that kind of thing... did that mean he thought that he and Dan had a Soul Bond? It was utterly ridiculous. They _didn't exist_ and that was the end of it.


	6. Denying Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan's still in denial over the whole thing, but Phil won't let him stay in denial. Not when he's so sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life man, life gets in the way. I'm sorry.

Phil stared at Dan, unable not to, and felt his heart wrench painfully in his chest. The other man was staring back at him, his arms crossed in a defiant manner. Dan didn't believe in Soul Bonds. The hope that had started to blossom suddenly died.

"Oh." Phil mumbled, swallowing thickly. He looked down at the ground, wondering if that meant he had been imagining everything. Maybe he had just been so desperate to fall in love he had deluded himself into thinking he had a Soul Bond.

No, he hadn't imagined it. He was sure. He squared his shoulders and met Dan's gaze again. Dan narrowed his eyes and bit his lip, though Phil could see the fear barely hidden behind the stubborn look. He wasn't going to ignore how he felt, and the way Dan reacted only meant he felt the same way. He decided to take a risk.

"Phil?" Dan asked, his gaze suddenly wary. Without speaking Phil yanked Dan closer. Dan spluttered, trying to say something, but Phil wasn't going to let him protest. Glad that they were relatively the same height, Phil connected his lips with Dan's. 

Everything clicked. His whole body felt alive and thrumming with energy. This was right. It was how it was supposed to be. There was no doubt left in his mind. They had a Soul Bond, and there was nothing that Dan could say to convince him otherwise. That and the fact that Dan was kissing him back. Quite willingly and happily, it seemed.

Dan suddenly pushed hard against Phil's chest, taking a few steps back. He was out of breath, and there was this slightly terrified look in his eyes, like his world had just been destroyed. Concerned, Phil reached out to comfort him.

"What the hell!?" Dan shouted, taking another few steps back, effectively putting the distance back between them that Phil had closed. "What the fuck was that?"

Phil tried not to grin. "What, have you never been kissed before?" Okay, so maybe Phil was being a bit rude, considering he had just kissed the man without his permission, but Phil _knew_. That kiss had just made it offical. There was no way that he had felt that... that connection and Dan hadn't.

Dan glared at him, the shock that had just been on his face hidden behind a mask. Still, Phil was unable to be bothered by it, finding himself happier than he could remember being in a while. Phil tried to step forward and close the distance again, but Dan took a step back for every step Phil took forward.

"I know what a kiss is, Phil. Just who do you think you are? Going around and kissing people! You can't just do that. You need their permission before you kiss someone. And then there you go, making it feel _special_. You don't have the right." Dan narrowed his eyes, pointing an accusing finger at Phil.

"It was special?" Phil asked, unable not to hang on to that part. Dan spluttered again, a blush rising on his cheeks before he recovered.

"Shut up." Dan glared at him, crossing his arms across his chest once more. "You know what? I don't have to put up with this. I'm going home. Don't you dare follow me home. I'll call the police." Phil watched Dan spin around and start marching off, mumbling to himself as he went. Phil watched him go, suddenly realizing that he had probably just messed up. Very badly. Dan was right about the whole kiss thing, the fact that he shouldn't have kissed the other man without his permission.

Phil had seen the denial in his eyes, the way he was struggling to pretend that what was going on wasn't really happening. Phil had pushed, just a little too hard. Yet he knew that Dan reciprocated his feelings. He had realized that in the kiss. You couldn't fake those kinds of feelings. Or if you could, you were a pretty damn good actor. Phil shoved his hands in his pocket as he stared off in the direction Dan had just stormed off into, wondering how he was going to get himself out of that mess.

An idea suddenly coming to him, Phil allowed himself a small smile. He would just have to romance Dan the old fashioned way.


	7. My Heart Yearns for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ache in Dan's chest won't go away. Not as long as he was incomplete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this in the middle of summer school, but no one needs to know. I'm sorry for the recent lack of updates, my beautiful readers. I'm not going to offer any excuses because I don't want to give you guys any more of them, but I am going to apologize another time. Thank you all for the wonderful comments and kudos. Ya'll make me smile so much with them. Okay, I'll let you guys read the story now.

Dan closes the door to his apartment and slid down the wall, bringing his knees to his chest. He was too shocked to be hyperventilating like he normally would be. The anger that had carried him home dissipated. He stared at the wall, absently bringing his fingers to his lips. When Phil had kissed him everything that was off suddenly righted, bringing everything to a sharp focus. Everything before seemed fuzzy, off kilter in some way. It had terrified him, yet he had never felt more at peace in that moment. Overwhelmed. That was the word he was looking for.

Dan had been utterly overwhelmed by Phil, and it bothered him that he was okay with it, deep down. Dan hadn't believed in Soul Bonds, still thought they didn't exist, not really, but there was no denying the ache in his chest had returned, fiercer than last time. There was no denying that he craved the other man's company to a disturbing degree. He would _not_ let an imaginary thing control him. He could be stubborn that way.

That was how he decided that he wouldn't talk to Phil. He wouldn't call him, wouldn't answer the phone when Phil called either. He was going to prove that Soul Bonds were still just something made up. He could stay away from Phil. It shouldn't be that hard, right?

)))))

A week later Dan was absolutely miserable. His chest ached, like someone had put textbooks on it and left it there. He absently rubbed it, a habit he had picked up whenever it hurt particularly bad. It didn't help, but Dan liked to pretend it did. He had been set to ignore Phil's calls, had been ready to prove that he could do just fine without him, but Phil hadn't even called or texted once. He wouldn't deny that hurt, just a little bit. Thinking of Phil made the ache twist into a sharp pain, so Dan quickly switched his train of thought. He watched the three elderly ladies wander around the store, pointing things out to each other excitedly. Dan didn't really think there was anything special about a wooden crate, but it wasn't his place to say anything.

The silver bell above the door chimed. It was a busy day. Three customers were normally their quota. Only the newcomer wasn't a customer. He was carrying a clipboard and a bouquet of flowers, and he was heading straight to Dan. The old ladies lost interest in the wooden crate and watched the delivery guy walk up to Dan, laying the flowers on the counter.

"I'm looking for a Dan Howell?"

"That would be me."

The delivery guy handed him a clipboard and asked him to sign some papers to confirm the delivery took place and then left, leaving the bouquet of flowers. The old ladies started talking animatedly again, gesturing to him. Dan sighed and picked up the flowers. He looked for a tag of some sort, finding a small note tucked in. He pulled it out and read it, feeling a blush rise on his cheeks.

_My heart yearns for you._

Dan looked for anything else on the note, any sign of who it could have come from, but found none. Still, he knew that it could only be Phil. His chest clenched at the thought of his name. Dan rubbed at his chest again, frowning down at the note. Phil had gone an entire week without talking to him, and the only thing he had gotten after waiting was a note and some flowers, not even delivered by the man himself. Still, the ache in Dan's chest dulled just a little bit as he brought the flowers to his nose. Dan found the old ladies staring at him and whispering among themselves. Great, just what he needed. One of the old ladies approached him, a warm smile on her heavily wrinkled face.

"Why are you holding back, young man? I can see you yearn to go to your admirer. It its written all over your face. So why do you resist?"

Dan stared at the old lady, unable to talk for a minute. He wanted to tell the old lady that it was non of her business, that she should leave him alone, but he could not bring himself to say that to her. Not to the kind face and the look in her eyes. The look that said she only wanted to help. So Dan responded with the second thing that came to his mind.

"I have to run the shop." It was a lame excuse and Dan knew it. The old lady tsked and shuffled off, clearly not interested in holding the conversation further. Dan watched, more confused than anything else, as all of the old ladies exited the shop, leaving quieter and more subdue than when they had arrived. He stared at the door for a while, his brain trying to figure things out. The only thing he achieved was to give himself a headache. Dan put his head on the counter, confused and irritated. He just wanted things to make sense, the way they did when Phil was around. Dan groaned and stared at the counter, absently bringing a hand to rub his chest.


	8. Chapter 8

Phil stared at Dan's number in his phone and wondered if he had gotten the flowers Phil sent. He hoped he was working today, and Phil had belatedly realized that he didn't know when the other man worked. What if he had sent the flowers and the shop wasn't even open? He wanted to text Dan and ask about it, finally contact him after a week of silence. After a week of not hearing his voice, not seeing him with his own eyes. He didn't even have a picture of him to stare mournfully at, even though Phil had put himself in the situation.

Phil had given Dan time to think, time to come to terms with everything. That's why he had waited the whole week to even acknowledge the other man's presence. Phil touched his chest briefly, hand pressing slightly against his chest that felt too hallow, empty. It didn't beat with the same vigor it once had. One word from Dan, it didn't even have to be an actual word, it could be a text, and Phil's heart would beat more solidly than it had in a long time. Phil set the phone down so he didn't call the brunette to ask him if he had gotten the flowers. If he heard Dan speak, it would be all over. Phil would run across London just to see Dan and hold him.

Phil was trying to ease Dan into the idea of dating him, of being his soulmate. There was no doubt left in Phil's mind that they were meant to be together. Of course Phil was willing to accept friendship if Dan didn't want to date him. Anything to be around him. Phil stood up and stretched, trying to keep his brain free of stalker thoughts. He didn't trust himself to take a walk. Knowing himself he would probably end up in the shop Dan worked at, even though he still wasn't sure how exactly to get there.

Phil had started to think that maybe he had waited just a little bit too long. A week was a long time. What if Dan had thought Phil didn't care anymore? Phil's heart rebelled at the thought, the pain he had become accustomed to spiked to a sharp twinge, like getting a shot at the doctor's. Phil rubbed his hand in small circles, having not moved it from his chest. Lying on the couch wasn't going to get him anywhere, and neither was wallowing in the pain. No, Phil was not going to let the opportunity pass him by. Not without a fight.

Phil straightened his posture, lifting his head higher. Determined. Phil rolled his shoulders and picked up his phone, pressing the call button before he could change his mind. His confidence started to waiver as the ring dragged on. It was probably a mistake, calling Dan in the middle of nowhere without warning. The other man probably wanted nothing to do with him, not after Phil ignored him for a week and didn't contact him and-

"Hello?"

Phil's train of thought was derailed as Dan's warm voice drifted through the speakers. Uneasy, maybe, and a little bit confused definitely, but Dan's _voice_ and it was all Phil could do not to run across London to find him and _hold_ him in his arms and never let go. Phil swallowed. Once. Twice. He tried to form words, tried to remember what he was planning on saying before all his thoughts had been obliterated. He opened his mouth more than once, only to fail to say anything.

"Hello? Are you okay?"

"Dan." Phil breathed, the word coming out more breathless than he had intended. He heard Dan take a deep breath on the other side of the phone, and Phil wondered, not for the first time, it calling the brunette had been a bad idea.

"C-can I help you with something Phil? I'm working right now and I don't really have time to talk."

Dan sounded uneasy. Unsure. He was probably lying about not having time to talk. His voice had risen just the slightest bit in pitch at the last part. Phil cleared his throat and walked back and forth across his lounge, wearing a trail in the carpet. He needed to say what he was going to say, and quickly.

"Would you like to hang out? It doesn't have to be anything romantic or anything like that. I promise I won't try and do anything. Just as friends?"

The silence dragged on, and Phil wasn't sure he could take the anticipation. It seemed like hours before Dan answered, his voice unsteady as he responded with a casual "sure" and "text me the details" and then the line went dead. Phil stood on the carpet, his chest feeling lighter than it had for a long time. A grin crossed his face, and he had to resist the urge to shout with joy and hug the wall. He hugged a pillow instead. Like a silly schoolgirl maybe, but Phil couldn't really care. He collapsed on his sofa, feeling ridiculously stupid and light-headed. Dan had agreed, even if it was just as friends. Phil could only hope he didn't die from the anticipation before they could hang out.


	9. Chapter 9

Dan's fingers twitched as they resisted his will. He would _not_ check his phone to see if Phil had responded yet. He was not going to be obsessed with checking his phone every second to see if his crush had texted him. No, not crush, Dan frowned. Friend. Friend, and that was it. There was nothing else, nothing between the two of them other than completely platonic feelings. Friends. Dan repeated the word like a mantra in his head, determined to keep it that way between them. He touched the petals of the flowers that had been given to him, fingers trailing lightly across the delicate petals of the red carnation. He had looked up their meaning, wondering if Phil had actually planned it all out or had just thought the flowers looked pretty. Google had politely informed him Phil's heart was aching for him, according to the flowers. Dan had laid down after, needing time to breathe.

How was he supposed to stay friends with Phil? There was no way he could stand against his hopelessly romantic advances for long, not if he kept sending things like the carnations. Dan's heart seemed to be in a large argument with his brain, fluttering about and performing acrobatics and doing stupid things when the other man was around. His brain, the _logical_ part of him kept telling his heart to take a chill pill, but to very little avail. Stupid feelings. Dan did his best to ignore them. Though it seemed like his best wasn't the best.

Dan's phone chimed, startling him out of his thoughts. He reached over and grabbed it off his table with a quick glance at the screen to confirm who was texting him. He studiously ignored the way his heart had a near panic attack when Phil's name showed up on the screen. He slid it open, reading the brief message.

_Video games at my house? 6:00?_

The question was followed by a controller emoji and one that looked like a dog pleading for table scraps or something. Dork, Dan thought with affection, even as he typed out a yes before he was fully aware of what he was doing. By the time he'd realized he had immediately replied the message was already sent. There was no going back. Which meant he was going to have to go to Phil's house at six that evening and play video games before he'd given himself proper time to curl up in the corner and debate over going or not before inevitably saying he would go anyways.

Wait. Inevitably saying he would go? No, Dan probably would have declined. Just not at the current time. It's not like he had anything to do that evening anyways. He was getting a little bored with being in the house all day anyways, so what harm would it do? None. Dan stopped his thought process, telling himself he didn't need to justify going over to Phil's house. Friends hung out all the time. Phil had even said, _just as friends_ , and who was Dan to tell him wrong? No one, especially since Phil wasn't wrong in the first place.

Dan groaned and covered his face. Phil was going to give him an aneurysm. Just thinking about his stupid matching hair, his greenish-blue eyes that reminded him of the ocean on a sunny day, the pale, nearly translucent skin he had. His tallness, which was nice, his cheerful aura. So many things Dan could go on about. If Dan cared, that was. Which Dan didn't. Who was he convincing? Dan lifted his head and checked the time, simultaneously wishing it was closer and further away from when he needed to leave. He had roughly two hours before leaving. Which, the more Dan thought about it he realized that he didn't know where Phil lived, or how to get there. An excuse? No, not when it was really easy to get the information. He sighed and picked up his phone to ask for the information, just realizing Phil had responded to his compliance.

_Amazing! I'll see you then! Just realized you need my address otherwise you can't come over. Here._

Dan smiled, figuring that kind of thing happened a lot with Phil. Forgetful, probably. Though just a guess. More than likely forgot his keys in a lot of places. Dan could imagine Phil leaving the house and running back in a few moments later to grab them with a sheepish look on his face. Yeah, probably. 

Dan chose to ignore the fact that he was imagining them living together and checked the time. Approximately five minutes had passed since he had last looked at the time, and Dan thought he might end up driving himself crazy if he continued checking the time every thirty seconds and thinking about Phil at every opportunity. So, he decided to distract himself with a movie.

The movie, as it turned out, was a very good distraction. So good, in fact, that Dan had accidentally spent _too much_ time watching the movie and not enough time watching for... Well, the time. Dan had fifteen minutes to be at Phil's dressed and ready to play video games. He definitely needed a shower too. He scrambled off the couch and made a frantic dash for his bathroom, praying that he would make it in time. He couldn't show up late. It was bad manners, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so not much happened in this chapter, really, but more interactions in the next chapter await! I have to apologize for how long it's taking me to get out these chapters. This chapter didn't quit fit with me, and I didn't really feel like it flows with the rest of the story. I managed to get it out but, well I'm not very happy with it. Please still enjoy!

**Author's Note:**

> Well, let me know what you think. This entire thing has no real plot as of yet, but I'm hoping that one might form somewhere down the line.


End file.
